89 



would, no doubt, give much information. In the absence 

 of data of such a kind we have made a study of the 

 statistics collected on the Mersey grounds by Captain 

 Eccles, during the last ten years. It has been stated that 

 these observations had an entirely different aim, and they 

 are, therefore, not always suitable for the elucidation of 

 our point. They do give some results, however, which 

 are all the more reliable since they are in general agree- 

 ment with Captain Eccles' personal experience of the 

 grounds. It is first to be noted that there is a very 

 distinct difference between catches made during spring 

 tides and those made during neaps. All the catches made 

 during the months of July, August, and September, with 

 tides of from 17 to 20 feet, have been collected and their 

 average compared with that of those made during the same 

 months with tides of from 11 to 14 feet. The results 

 are given below. 



Average catches of shrimps and immature fishes on the 

 Deposit grounds during August-September, 1893-1902. 



There is little doubt that more soles and plaice are 

 caught during spring than at neap tides. The same is the 

 case with dabs for two of the months considered, while 

 whiting seem to have been more abundant during neaps 

 than during springs, but the distribution of this fish is in 

 other respects very capricious, and too much stress must 



